The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Wescarosexe2x80x99.
The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany. The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross made by the Inventor of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa identified as code number 97-126, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa identified as code number 97-122, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa was selected by the Inventor in 1999 on the basis of its large flower size. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants of the parent selections primarily in flower color and flower size.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Wescarose have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Wescarosexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Wescarosexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Cascading and uniform growth habit.
2. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy.
3. Large flower size.
4. Numerous intense purple red-colored flowers.
5. Good weather tolerance.
Plants of the cultivar Wescarose can be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa cultivar Carillon Pink, not patented. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Carillon Pink differ in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Carillon Pink.
2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers with larger sepals than plants of the cultivar Carillon Pink.
3. Flower throat color of plants of the new Calibrachoa is more intense yellow than flower throat color of plants of the cultivar Carillon Pink.
4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are taller than plants of the cultivar Carillon Pink.
Plants of the cultivar Wescarose can also be compared to plants of the pink-flowered Calibrachoa cultivar Wespink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. Ser. No. 09/592,377. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Wespink differ in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more compact and more uniform than plants of the cultivar Wespink.
2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have shorter internodes and are denser and bushier than plants of the cultivar Wespink.
3. Flower throat color of plants of the new Calibrachoa is more intense yellow than flower throat color of plants of the cultivar Wespink.